Basements are always cooler than the rest of the house because they tend to retain a lot of moisture, making the air feel saturated and cold in that area. If you’re having trouble keeping your basement warm, there are a lot of options for you to choose from. However, before deciding on the best heating solution for your basement, you must first analyze your needs to have a clearer perspective.
A lot of people don’t realize that heating the basement is essential to lessen the electricity bill. Before knowing the different heating options, first, we will explain how it works and why you should install a heating system.
The Hidden Truth: You Can Save More Money by Heating the Basement
Whether you use the basement often or not, warming the area is the trick to make your house regulate the hot air. A cold basement causes some heat to pass through the HVAC and plumbing lines, and it pulls in cooler air from the outside through poorly insulated ducts. Your basement will become even cooler as a consequence of the extra cold air being drawn in.
Basement Heating Options
Electric Radiant Floor Heating
Electric radiant heat is a cost-effective way to warm up your entire basement. Radiant floor heating evenly warms the entire floor rather than creating hot patches or cold regions. This heating system doesn’t produce much noise and it does not require any blowers, pumps, or fans. Electric radiant heating is relatively easy to install and it can add around $4 per day to your electricity bill.
Hydraulic Radiant Floor Heating
The heated water running through a boiler or water heater is pumped through the tubes. These tubes are long enough to pass through the entire basement. This heating system is usually placed during the house’s construction phase. The estimated cost of this heating option is $5 to $20 per square foot.
Extend the Ductwork and Modify the HVAC
Ducts allow air to travel from the system to the rest of your home. It may be possible to expand the ductwork to effectively heat your basement with extra vents if your basement was finished after the home’s heating system was installed. However, even a well-ventilated basement might be difficult to heat if the thermostat is set on the upper floor of the house. You can also eliminate the cold air that hovers around the bottom part of the room and direct it to the furnace.
Wood-Burning Fireplace
This traditional heating option is popular among residential establishments but it actually sucks more hot air out of a room than they generate. If you want to have a wood-burning fireplace, install a chimney to allow the harmful fumes to escape from the house since fireplaces produce carbon monoxide.
Note that a fireplace may not be able to heat numerous rooms in the basement because walls may hinder warm air from reaching areas further away from the main heating source. For a low-cost heating option that is both convenient and powerful, choose an infrared fireplace.
Gas Fireplace
A gas fireplace is not only more appealing than a traditional fireplace, but it also saves energy. There are four types of fireplaces to choose from: vented, unvented, built-in, and standalone. Some gas fireplaces have a built-in fan to assist distribute the warm air.
Electric Heater
Electric space heaters are a low-cost option that can offer sufficient heat to keep your basement warm for a long time. The variety of designs available on the market should make it easy for you to choose one that will work the best for you. An electric heater costs $50 to $150. On average, homeowners pay around $2 per day if they use the electric heater for 8 hours daily.
Baseboard Heater
The floor of the basement can be effectively heated with baseboard heaters. Thermostats are used in the heaters to keep the temperature in control. They’re a great choice for warming your basement because they’re always on and don’t require any ducts.
Baseboard heaters take up less space, don’t emit loud noises, and are completely safe to install. Despite their high energy efficiency rating, this type of heater is one of the most expensive ways to heat your basement.
Portable Space Heater
Portable space heaters can be very useful to heat small areas quickly and conveniently. On the other hand, portable heaters might be ineffective in heating large spaces and might cost more to operate than other heating options.
Register Heater
Grates with moving elements that can open and close to facilitate airflow are placed over exhaust openings. The majority of heat is lost through the windows or doors, therefore registers are usually closer to these passageways. Due to the decreasing temperature in the basement, having an extra register laid out on the floor to distribute hot air is essential to retain the warmness of the room.
People can walk over the grilles placed in the floor registers without causing them any harm. Unless you have ductwork already in place, you can hire professionals to install the ducts in your home.
Rigid Foam Floor Insulation
In your basement, floor insulation is a wise strategy to help you save money on the overall heating costs. If you merely want to heat your basement and don’t have any water issues in the house, consider installing rigid foam insulation. The rigid foam insulation is normally placed in between the frames and covered with hardwood.
That concludes our guide about different basement heating options you can try. Remember to seal up all the drafts to stop any cold air to get in and keep the warm air inside.
